Flagstaff man David Greenberg gets 340 years for child sex crimes

FLAGSTAFF, AZ - A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to 340 years in prison in a child-sex case that included voyeurism, surreptitious videotaping and extensive downloading of child pornography.

David Greenberg was sentenced Wednesday in Coconino County Superior Court to 17 years in prison on each of 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. State law requires that the terms be served consecutively, so the sentences add up to 340 years.

The sentence imposed by Judge Cathleen Brown Nichols was the normal one prescribed by state law, above the minimum of 190 years sought by Greenberg's lawyer and below the maximum of 482 years sought by the prosecution, the
Arizona Daily Sun reported.

Defense attorney David Bednar argued that the sentencing violated his client's constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

However, Nichols ruled that it didn't because Greenberg was sentenced on multiple counts.

Nichols said Greenberg's actions caused extreme harm to the victims and that she doubted Greenberg's expressions of remorse.

"The threat of harm from this type of offender cannot be overstated," Rozema said.

A Flagstaff police detective testified that Greenberg had so much pornography that police decided to not look at most of it because it would take a detective one year of full-time work to review it all.

Greenberg is a former science researcher and doctoral student at Northern Arizona University.

Shantz said the case began when Greenberg was arrested trespassing at a home and investigators suspected from Greenberg's statements that he was a predator. The investigation led to a search of Greenberg's home and the discovery of child pornography.

Greenberg told Nichols that his obsession was shameful and disgusting. However, Greenberg said it was an addiction that never physically threatened anyone because he never actually touched any of the victims.

"The shame I feel no one can even begin to understand and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I don't understand how I'm going to prison for the rest of my life," Greenberg said.

Prosecutor Jonathan Mosher said Greenberg's behavior had caused great harm.

Each time a person views an image or video of a child being abused, that child is victimized again, Mosher added.

"When you possess an image of a baby being (sexually abused) you get the maximum. Period," Mosher said.

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